


Since the beginning

by SpaceBae



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Childhood Friends, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Past Child Abuse, damen is a golden retriever, laurent is sad and hates people
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 11:56:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12298764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceBae/pseuds/SpaceBae
Summary: Damen and Laurent are childhood friends but something big makes them fall appart. They meet again in college and pick the broken pieces of their friendship quickly, but there might be more to Laurent's attitude than the accident.





	Since the beginning

It started when Laurent was around nine, Damianos thinks. His parents just died and he’s living with his uncle and brother and he sneaks in Damen’s room through the window on most nights. He’s in his pajamas, his short blond hair is messy on his head and he seems a little out of breath. He’s not crying like he sometimes does on those nights, but he’s looking distant and cold when he knocks on Damen’s window.

“I’m sleeping here tonight. Don’t tell Auguste” he says

Damen doesn’t mind letting his friend in, but he’s concerned about him not wanting his brother to know, as always. Laurent tells his brother everything and Auguste does the same. They adore each other. They’re the kind of brothers Damen wishes he and Kastor were. But his older sibling doesn’t want to deal with his twelve years old baby brother. It kinda comes with being ten years older, Damen thinks.

Even though it’s summer the air outside feels cold, and the youngest De Vere is shivering. So  Damen lets him in.

“What’s going on?” is the only thing he says “it’s okay if you don’t wanna tell”

“Got in a fight with uncle. He’s a dick. Don’t tell Auguste. Also don’t tell Auguste I said dick.”

Alright so it’s technically not the first time Laurent complains about his uncle. Their relationship is rocky at best. They used to get along fine but since the De Vere parents passed away their youngest is having a lot of troubles with him. Laurent is probably so angry because of the situation he needs someone to let it out on, or at least that’s what Damen’s mum says. He thinks it’ll pass. He’s not exactly sure what they fight about -Laurent never tells him more- So it’s not a big deal to let the other kid sleep in his bed another night. Laurent climbs through the window and settles in Damen’s huge queen size bed without another word. He falls asleep quick.

There are some nights when Laurent comes in where he’s not nearly as collected as that one. Sometimes he doesn’t say anything and looks furious, sometimes he sobs on Damen’s shoulder and hugs him tight. It’s probably standard behaviour for a kid whose parents died.

The thing is, Damianos is technically Auguste’s best friend. But he spends so much time lately with Laurent sleeping in his room and reading his books and pretending he’s not interested in playing with Damen’s toy dinosaurs that both brothers are kind of equals right now. But he wouldn’t tell either. Auguste would pretend to be really happy but would end up being a little hurt and Laurent would pretend he doesn’t care – and even maybe tell Damen to get lost- and feel bad for his brother. So really, some things are better left unsaid.

The three of them hang out together all the time, though. Mostly Laurent tags along with his brother whenever the kids do something close by – like going for a swim- and reads while they play. By the time Laurent is eleven, Damen is fourteen and Auguste fifteen, but they still drag the youngest everywhere. It’s not like it’s a chore. Laurent is pretty mature for his age and he can be really fun when he decides the whole world doesn’t suck. Which is not often, but is a lot more than usual when his brother and friend are with him.  

So the days come and go with the three boys hanging out most days after school and on the weekends and Laurent coming over to spend the night more than four times a week without telling anyone. Sometimes Kastor feels generous and drives them to the field where they play soccer together but mostly he doesn’t. He hates the De Vere kids with a burning passion and, while Auguste disdain is hidden, Laurent’s is not and its not hard to see the feeling is mutual. Beats Damen why though. It’s like his friends are cats and his brother is a dog, they just don’t get along at all.

It’s when Laurent is twelve that something weird happens. Instead of just coming in the window like he usually does, he directly knocks on the front door. It’s Damianos mother who opens. The kid in front of her is out of breath and seems tired and panicked, and she is honestly concerned at what would make him run over so late.

“Oh darling I’m sorry but Damianos is asleep now”

“I’m sleeping here” is all Laurent says.

And while technically his little escapades have been “secret”, Damen’s mum is not and idiot and she’s opened the bedroom door and found the two boys sleeping more than once. She figures Laurent must have a little crush and sneaks in because he misses his friend. Even though Damen is only sixteen it’s clear to everyone -including himself- that he likes both boys and girls so she’s not overly concerned if Laurent likes his boy. Plus even though he acts all though the kid is a sweetheart and does seem completely smitten with her son. But now Laurent seems terrified and like he’s about to cry and she doesn’t want to probe but it feels like it’s her duty as her mother to do so.

“What’s going on Laurent? Of course you can stay here, you can get to the friend’s room and- “

“I’ll sleep in Damen’s”

And with that he’s already moving to the door. He’s been to their house so many times he knows it as if it is his own. Laurent knows he should let his friend sleep – he has soccer practice early tomorrow morning- but he doesn’t want to be alone and Damen makes him feel safe and right now he really, really needs to feel safe. Even though she wants to follow up with more question, Damen’s mother just kind of figures Laurent must have been in a fight with Auguste or his uncle. The kid fights with everyone, it wouldn’t surprise her it happens with his family too. It’s really a mystery he’s never angry with Damen. Or a crush, she tells you. So she won’t bother him much about it, unless he’s still looking like that in the morning.

The kid is walking strange though. But no biggie.

Laurent closes the door behind him and immediately get under the covers with Damen. He thinks about just staying on his side and going asleep but his mind is racing. He needs his friend. So he gently wakes him up and hugs him close. He’s probably crying and breathing hard right now. He doesn’t care. Damen won’t ask. Damen never asks.

“Bad fight?” is all he ever says

“The worst” Laurent answers mid sob.

So Damianos gently pet his hair until Laurent’s tired body falls asleep sobbing, and he gets the dreamless sleep he needs. Maybe there is something more than fights behind those nighttime excursions and those tears, but Damen doesn’t have to know. Damen will never know.


End file.
